This invention relates to straight chain, saturated 3-hydroxydicarboxylic acids and to the microorganism employed to produce them.
Short-chain 3-hydroxydicarboxylic acids are known. Thus, malic acid (n=0 in Formula I) occurs in fruit. H. Arakawa et al. (Liebigs Ann. Chem. 728:152 [1969]) have produced 3-hydroxyadipic acid (n=2 in Formula I) by chemical methods. However, no microbiological production method is known for this compound. 3-hydroxydodecanedioic acid (n=8 in Formula I) is mentioned in the chemical synthesis of traumatic acid as an intermediate product (P. H. M. Schreurs et al., Rec. Trav. Chim. Pays-Bas 90:1331 [1971]). However, there does not as yet exist a microbiological process for the preparative production of 3-hydroxydodecanedioic acid.
Unbranched, saturated 3-hydroxydicarboxylic acids having a total of 13-18 carbon atoms are not known. In addition to those named in the examples hereinafter, others within Formula I are 3-hydroxyheptadecanedioic acid and 3-hydroxyoctadecanedioic acid.